Recurrence of thin melanoma: how effective is follow-up?

• Published in: British journal of plastic surgery Vol. 49; no. 6; pp. 409 - 413
• Main Authors: Moloney, Dominique, Gordon, Derek J., Briggs, James C., Rigby, Howard S.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-09-1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Dermatology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Long-Term Care; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Medical sciences; Melanoma - diagnosis; Melanoma - secondary; Melanoma - surgery; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnosis; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; Skin Neoplasms - surgery; Time Factors; Tumors of the skin and soft tissue. Premalignant lesions; Human; Recurrence; Skin disease; Prognosis; Male; Malignant tumor; Medical screening; Long term; Retrospective; Case study; Surgery; Malignant melanoma; Adult; Complication; Female; Skin
• ISSN: 0007-1226; 1465-3087
• DOI: 10.1016/S0007-1226(96)90012-0

In order to assess the benefit to patients with thin malignant melanoma (< 0.76 mm) of a 5-year clinical follow-up programme, we have studied 602 patients with a minimum time from primary surgery of 5 years.
Tumour recurrence occurred in 24 patients (4% of all patients) but only five surgically treatable recurrences (< 1% of all patients) occurred within the 5-year period following primary surgery. After 5 years there were four surgically treatable recurrences, but their prognosis was generally poor. The remaining cases of tumour recurrence were not surgically treatable.
In the face of an increasing incidence of melanoma, and the accompanying increase in demand for surgical treatment and outpatient review, we question the need for prolonged hospital follow-up of thin melanoma.